فَقُلْ هَل لَّكَ إِلَىٰٓ أَن تَزَكَّىٰ 18
Translations
And say to him, 'Would you [be willing to] purify yourself
Transliteration
Faqul hal laka ilaa an tazakka
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah represents Musa's (Moses) invitation to Pharaoh to purify himself and believe in Allah's oneness. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret 'tazakka' (to purify/cleanse oneself) as achieving spiritual purity through faith and abandoning arrogance and disbelief. The question posed rhetorically challenges Pharaoh to consider the opportunity for spiritual reformation before facing divine punishment.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Musa's mission to Pharaoh (79:15-26), depicting the crucial moment when Musa presents the call to monotheism. The surah emphasizes the inevitability of divine judgment, and this specific verse illustrates how even the most powerful earthly rulers are offered the chance to repent and purify themselves before accountability.
Related Hadiths
The concept of tazkiyah (purification of the soul) is central to Islamic teaching. Related to this is the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet ﷺ stated: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' - emphasizing spiritual and moral purification. Additionally, Surah Al-Shams (91:9-10) complements this theme: 'Indeed he succeeds who purifies it, And he fails who instills it [with corruption].'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that regardless of one's worldly power or status, the invitation to spiritual purification and belief in Allah remains eternally relevant and accessible. The implicit warning is that rejecting this opportunity for self-reformation leads to inevitable consequence, emphasizing that true success lies not in material dominion but in purifying one's soul from pride, disbelief, and moral corruption.